Jupiter in Virgo square Saturn in SagittariusThis is a classic transit for producing lots of stops and starts! You get a bit of energy going, a bit of steam up and then some obstacle gets in the way and frustrates the shit out of you. Very frustrating and disappointing, and you can be forgiven for feeling that some crotchety old patriarchal figure wants to vent his own frustrations, judgements and criticism upon you. Mean and nasty!

Now if this sounds rather adolescent, it kind of fits the symbolism. Saturn and Jupiter are father and son, and Saturn is so paranoid of being overthrown by his children that he devours them. Eventually Mum gets pissed off and colluded with Jupiter to force the regurgitation of his brothers and sisters, and then overthrow the old bugger. It is a timeless story isn’t it?

On an energetic level though, this transit is a conflict between the expansive, forward moving energies of Jupiter and the more conservative, yet often realistic voices of Saturn that demand planning, preparation and discipline focus. Even though they appear diametrically opposite each other they are also compliments and for any enterprise in the world to work well you need a balance of the two; faith, trust and optimism with healthy realism and practical application. Even in business astrology, you always check out the positions of the two planets at the beginning of your enterprise.

So when the two are in difficult reaction to each other, it can compound already existing imbalances so that we can recognise them and take steps to correct the balance. On another level, it’s all a test and one that includes tests in maturity, flexibility, responsiveness and around our notions of what it is to be “responsible”. Basically it is a test of character as well is an opportunity to develop a healthy, respectful mix of faith and realism. It is also a test about how respond to disappointment.

My first guru talked about spiritual life, therefore life in general, as a bird with two wings; one representing grace (Jupiter) and the other self effort (Saturn) and that for this bird to be able to fly well you need both to be operating. So even though this month the bird might be flying like a wounded bat, we get to do some work to smooth out its flight.

Uranus conjunct Hecate in AriesFrom astrological, spiritual, shamanic and personal liberation points of view, this is an extraordinary conjunction, one that speaks of dramatic and radical awakenings, inner states of great awareness, the reclamation of ancient forms of magic and the ability to direct sacred power.

While Uranus connects us to masculine lines of magical practice, to the medicine men, druids, alchemists and astrologers, Hecate invokes the medicine women, midwives and witches. Both are linked in different ways to shamanic practitioners. And so the two coming together is a meeting, a dynamic one that seeks expression through the fiery sign of Aries, of these archetypal lines which are also part of many of our past life records.

So it is a brilliant time, and inspiring one, for the study and development of all alternative practices whose origins stem from these traditions. Both have initiatory qualities, which is why at times as dense and intense as we are experiencing at the moment, there is the possibility for exceptional spiritual and psychic awakenings. These awakenings include unveiling our history within our past life records around the shamanic and magical traditions and in doing so reconnecting with knowledge and skills that we have bought into this lifetime for contemporary expression.

Given the quality of the power involved here though, it is one of those times that we must be even more conscious and vigilant around issues to do with the misuse of sacred power, shadow areas where our unhealed personal territory can get badly mixed up with these heightened magical abilities.

Given that practitioners of both genders were the targets of the Inquisition for instance, it has to be accepted that there’s the possibility of unhealed trauma and unexpressed rage around is territory. One of the reasons why many people are fearful of stepping into their power, particularly in the alternative healing and spiritual circles, is because of the subconscious memories of persecution for having such power and knowledge.

(It might sound bizarre from more traditional and scientific points of view but I have experienced both in myself and in my clients different forms of past life post-traumatic stress disorder!)

Part of the potential awakenings of this line-up is that they are likely to bring up residues or memories of any history around persecution and/or abuse of power in our past-life history. If so, it is another unique opportunity that doesn’t easily come our way, as flushing this out can clear the way for the purer expression of both Uranus and Hecate energy and, make the pre-existing gifts and knowledge to become more available.​Apart from that though, enjoy the magic and the heightened awareness that can come in the midst of the current intensity!